


Gonna Catch You When You Fall

by Setii



Category: Marvel, Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types
Genre: 5+1 Things, Adopted Peter, Afghanistan, Alternate Universe - No Powers, Howard Stark's A+ Parenting, Hurt/Comfort, IronStrange, M/M, StrangeIron, Team as Family, Tony Has Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, Tony Stark Has A Heart, Tony Stark Has Nightmares, Tony Stark Needs a Hug
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-05-24
Updated: 2018-05-24
Packaged: 2019-05-13 09:40:44
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 674
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14746421
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Setii/pseuds/Setii
Summary: Five times Tony needs a hug and the one time he gives one back.





	Gonna Catch You When You Fall

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Efehia](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Efehia/gifts).



> Efehia asked me to write her a ficlet, but 5+1's seem to be the only thing I can come up with.  
> Here's some IronStrange for you. Enjoy!

* * *

  
**I.**  
It's just your common nightmare, but Tony wakes up screaming at the top of his lungs.  
He can't recall the dream he's had, yet he's shaking all over. Tony tries to get up, stumbles and falls to his knees, sobbing violently. When his door slides open and someone comes running in, he doesn't even look up and just throws himself at the other, hugging their legs and pressing his face against soft flannel pants. They're crouching down and pulling Tony into their arms.  
Turns out that Stephen Strange isn't as big of an asshole as he initially seemed to be.

  
  
**II.**  
Afghanistan is just a tiny memory in the back of his mind now and he likes to keep it that way.  
He's at the mall with Bucky, Clint and Stephen when some nutcase pulls a gun out of nowhere and fires into the air. Tony's ears are ringing as his body goes rigid - he can't move! There's the guy with the weapon, but all he sees is one of the men back at the shithole that had been his prison.  
It's Stephen who yanks him down to the floor, covering Tony's body with his own.

 

  
**III.**  
Nobody knows what Tony's childhood has been like and he prefers to keep quiet about it. He never talks about it, never thinks about it - he's shut it away, just like Afghanistan.  
It's movie night and they're watching some god damn flick about a little boy living with his abusive father. Tony tries his best to concentrate on something else, counting the dots on Natasha dress. He's still cowering on the couch after everyone left and that's when Stephen sits down next to him. Tony scoots away a bit, but Stephen doesn't even try to touch him.  
They talk about everything and nothing for a while (actually it's Stephen who does most of the talking) and in the end it's Tony himself who cuddles up to the other man, seeking his warmth.

  
  
**IV.**  
If there's something Tony will never get used to, it's his pacemaker. It's been there since forever now, but it still feels forgein and misplaced and unnatural. It's his lifeline and Tony knows that he'll surely die without it. So when he accidentally electrolutes himself (just a little) and his heart starts to stumble, he feels fear creeping up his spine. He calls for Stephen and he's lucky that the other man just came home from work and is by his side in an instant.  
Stephen holds him close while they wait for the ambulance to arrive and that seems to be everything his heart needs to settle down again.

  
  
**V.**  
They've been a couple for quite some years now and Tony knows that Stephen's thinking about raising a kid. It's something Tony isn't sure about - because how would he ever be able to provide for a small human being when he can barely keep himself alive? It's when Wanda brings home her newly born daughter and tries to place her (all small and pink and frail) into Tony's arms that he loses it. His hands are shaking madly and he turns to make a run for it, but Stephen keeps him there and pulls him into his arms, whispering soothing words into his ear.

 

 

* * *

  
  
  
**+I.**  
Tony knows that Stephen isn't keen on traveling by car. They don't have a choice though, because Peter's just been admitted to a hospital at the other end of New York and there's no way they're taking the subway. Tony somehow manages to get him into the passenger seat and he really tries his best to drive carefully. It's not his fault that the black van running a red light nearly hits them and it's just thanks to Tony's skill that the cars don't collide.  
Tony's heart is beating a mile a minute and when he looks to the side he sees that Stephen's gone pale, shaking madly.  
It takes about two seconds for Tony to pull him close and hold him until the panic dies down.

**Author's Note:**

> Obviously, it's an AU. Tony's an engineer and Stephen's a professor. Everyone's living together at Stark Tower, because that's how I want it to be 8D


End file.
